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Track List
1 Danses concertantes: I. Marche – Introduction 01:53by Igor Stravinsky
2 Danses concertantes: II. Pas d'action – Con Moto 03:16
by Igor Stravinsky
3 Danses concertantes: III. Thème varié – Lento 08:19
by Igor Stravinsky
4 Danses concertantes: IV. Pas de deux – Risoluto – Andante sostenuto 04:58
by Igor Stravinsky
5 Danses concertantes: V. Marche – conclusion 01:07
by Igor Stravinsky
6 Octet: I. Sinfonia (Lento – Allegro moderato) 04:01
by Igor Stravinsky
7 Octet: II. Tema con variazioni (Andantino) 07:19
by Igor Stravinsky
8 Octet: III. Finale (Sempre q=116, Tempo giusto) 03:56
by Igor Stravinsky
9 Concerto in E-flat, Dumbarton Oaks: I. Tempo Giusto 04:15
by Igor Stravinsky
10 Concerto in E-flat, Dumbarton Oaks: II. Allegretto 03:41
by Igor Stravinsky
11 Concerto in E-flat, Dumbarton Oaks: III. Con Moto 04:59
by Igor Stravinsky
12 Suite No. 1: I. Andante 01:13
by Igor Stravinsky
13 Suite No. 1: II. Napolitana 01:08
by Igor Stravinsky
14 Suite No. 1: III. Española 01:03
by Igor Stravinsky
15 Suite No. 1: IV. Balalaika 01:07
by Igor Stravinsky
16 Suite No. 2: I. Marche 01:15
by Igor Stravinsky
17 Suite No. 2: II. Valse 02:07
by Igor Stravinsky
18 Suite No. 2: III. Polka 00:59
by Igor Stravinsky
19 Suite No. 2: IV. Galop 01:52
by Igor Stravinsky
20 Ragtime 04:35
by Igor Stravinsky
21 Concerto in D Major: I. Vivace 06:06
by Igor Stravinsky
22 Concerto in D Major: II. Arioso: Andantino 02:10
by Igor Stravinsky
23 Concerto in D Major: III. Rondo: Allegro 03:15
by Igor Stravinsky
Total Time: 74:34
About Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky
During the 1950s, Igor Stravinsky increasingly undertook conducting engagements in which he presented his own compositions. His appearances with radio orchestras were an important part of this activity, combining the concert platform with the possibilities of broadcasting and archival recording.In Italian Switzerland, Stravinsky made two visits to Lugano to conduct his own music with the Orchestra della Radio della Svizzera Italiana, the radio orchestra that had been active in the region since the 1930s. The first concert took place on 29 April 1954, followed by a second on 28 April 1955. Contemporary accounts and later RSI documentation confirm the importance of these appearances, and Stravinsky's programs formed part of the musical life promoted by the radio orchestra under its director Otmar Nussio.
The recordings preserved by RSI come from these Lugano concerts at the Teatro Kursaal. The material represented here includes Suite No. 1 and Suite No. 2 for Small Orchestra, Octet, Danses Concertantes, Dumbarton Oaks Concerto, and Concerto in D for String Orchestra. The documented recording dates are 29 April 1954 for Danses Concertantes, Dumbarton Oaks Concerto and Concerto in D, and 28 April 1955 for the two Suites and Octet.
The orchestra itself was a radio ensemble: founded in the early 1930s, it became the Orchestra della Radio della Svizzera Italiana in 1935. Its work combined concert activity with the broadcasting mission of Italian Swiss Radio, and its collaborations included performances conducted by leading composers and conductors of the period.
These Lugano recordings are therefore documents of a particular aspect of Stravinsky's postwar career: the composer conducting his own scores with a radio orchestra and preserving those performances through the broadcasting institution. RSI confirms that the recordings have remained in its radio archive.
The recordings presented here originate from Italian Swiss Radio recordings made in Lugano in 1954 and 1955. RSI's own archival documentation identifies them as recordings preserved by the radio service, while later releases have drawn on this surviving broadcast archive.
A contemporary archival trail also shows that Stravinsky's Lugano appearances were part of the radio orchestra's programming in the 1950s, rather than recordings made privately for later commercial release. The surviving radio material is therefore distinct from the later editions that subsequently made these performances available to collectors. The exclusive rights in these recordings had therefore expired by January 1, 2006.
EU Public Domain Notice
The historical sound recordings included in this release are in the public domain in the European Union. Blue Music Group has created a new digital restoration and mastering of these historical recordings. The digital restoration and mastering by Blue Music Group are protected by applicable copyright and related rights. Rights may differ in other territories, including the United States. This release is not intended for distribution in the United States.
Cover artwork: The original photographic image has been legally assessed as being in the public domain in the EU following the expiry of the applicable 50-year term under Section 49a. The image has been restored, enhanced and colorized by Blue Music Group. © Blue Music Group. All rights reserved.
Credits
Igor Stravinsky – composer & conductorRecording source: Orchestra della Radio della Svizzera Italiana / RSI, Lugano
Teatro Kursaal, Lugano, Switzerland
1954–1955